The Southern Maryland Blues Festival brings the legendary Leon Russell and Irma Thomas, Spin Doctors and more to the Calvert County Fairgrounds this weekend.

The two-day show benefits two local charities; Safe Harbor, a shelter for women and children who are victims of domestic violence and the cancer charity Special Love's Camp BRASS, for brothers and sisters of young cancer patients.

Top billing goes to Leon Russell, who closes the show on Sunday. Russell's career had faded until Elton John teamed up with him for an award winning album in 2010.

"It's like he's been reborn," concert promoter Don Hooker, who has put on the Chesapeake Bay Blues Festival for years at Sandy Point, an inaugurated the Southern Maryland Blues Festival last year.

"He has a pretty big fan base, across generations and genres, from rock-and-roll to blues and country to bluegrass," Hooker said.

Russell started playing piano at age 4, and gigs at 14 in and around Tulsa, Okla. The great J.J. Cale was in his band. In 1960 he started playing session work in Los Angeles and appeared on recordings for just about everybody - From Doris Day and Frank Sinatra to the Beach Boys, the Byrds, and The Band - and that is just the B's. He even played on 1964's legendary T.A.M.I. Show that featured The Beach Boys, The Supremes, The Rolling Stones, Chuck Berry, Marvin Gaye - all members of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

On Saturday the Spin Doctors top the bill. The band, best known for their 1991 hit album "Pocket Full of Kryptonite", recently released an all blues album, "If The River Was Whiskey."

That got Hooker's attention. "The blues album has been getting acclaim," he said. "I know they will play some of their old stuff in deference to their fans, I mean the sold a gazillion with that Krypotonite record, but they will be playing the blues, too."

The next big attraction and sure draw for New Orleans Music fans is the legendary Irma Thomas, often called "The Soul Queen of New Orleans,

She started making hits back in 1960 with "(You Can Have My Husband But) Don't Mess with My Man)" and didn't look back. She won a Grammy for Best Contemporary Blues Album in 2007 and had most recently been seen on episodes of the HBO series, "Treme."

"She doesn't get out of New Orleans enough," Hooker said. "But, man, she can still sing."

Other acts include the Royal Southern Brotherhood. Speaking of New Orleans, the band is led by Cyril Neville, singer and percussionist, of the famous Neville Brothers. The other leader is guitarist and singer Devon Allman, son of Greg Allman of Allman Brothers fame. Their first album in 2012 was a hit on the blues charts. Their second outing, " Songs from the Road," won a Blues Music Award for DVD of the Year.

Rich Robinson performs before Leon Russell on Sunday, he and brother Chris formed The Black Crowes" in the early 80s and had several hits. After the band drifted apart in 2001 guitarist Rich has been pursuing a solo career releasing half a dozen records including this year's "The Ceaseless Sight."

More Louisiana flavor comes from Nathan and The Zydeco Cha-Chas, who have been rocking crowds at the Jazz and Heritage Festival in New Orleans and on Rounder Records since 1988.

The rest of the bill is chock full blues with Guitar Shorty, Mac Arnold and Plate Full of Blues, Samantha Fish, and regional favorite Jonathan Boogie Long and the Blues Revolution.

Food and beverages will be available all day at the Calvert Fairgrounds on Route 231 just west of Prince Frederick.

For information and advance tickets see the website http://www.somdblues.org.

TICKETS:VIP sold out. Advance tickets available through 5 p.m. Friday,$45 for one day, $85 for two-day. After today and at gate, $60 one day, $110 two-day. Kids under 12 free with paying adult. Tickets avaiable viw http://www.somdblues.org or by calling 410-982-0799.

PARKING: Free on site.

TO BRING: Lawn or beach chair or blankets, sunblock, sunglasses. Sun tents OK in rear of audience if they don't impede anyone's view of the stage.

NOT TO BRING: Food, drinks, bottles/glass, alcoholic beverages, drugs, pets, coolers, professional audio or video recording equipment or cameras with long telephoto lenses (longer than 6 inches)/tripods. Two sealed bottles of water allowed.